USSA Sport Education Coaches Tip of the Week: June 25 2013
Each week the USSA Sport Education Department will post a Coaches Tip of the Week. The information will rotate through the ski and snowboard disciplines so check back each week to see the newest tip!
Effective and Skillful Coaching: Applying the CAP Model
{This is an excerpt taken from the 2013 Spring Alpine Coaches Academy presentation by Stacey Gerrish}
Effective and skillful coaching can help develop your athlete’s confidence, self-esteem, safety and well being, and communication skills leading to more success as ski racers. Your coaching also has an impact on the ability of your athletes to self-direct, (a valuable skill set on race days).
Effective Coaching
Effective coaching can take many forms and includes the consideration of all aspects of development in the CAP model.
Characteristics of effective coaching include:
• Playfulness and relevance to the athletes age, cognitive development, affective needs, goals and motivations
• Technical improvement happening seamlessly
• Opportunities for the athletes to have experiences that exert positive impacts on learning and avoid negative impacts
• Employs ALL learning styles
Skillful Coaching
Coaching isn’t only about knowing how to go left and right. To be skillful in the true art of coaching you need to understand learning theory and how to apply this knowledge to create valuable learning experiences for athletes. An interesting way to incorporate all learning styles and the CAP development model is the use of a skill based "passport". Athletes receive a passport at the beginning of the season and as they complete a training session or SkillsQuest evaluation they get a stamp in their passport. This allows each athlete to feel a sense of accomplishment but allows them to learn according to their own style and pace.
Coaching Style
What words would your athletes use to describe you as a coach? It is important for coaches to consider their coaching style and how that is impacted by their learning style. How would you describe your coaching style? Some elements of an effective and skillful coaching style include:
• Being confident
• Understanding the power of your words
• Speaking to students respectfully
• Having a sense of humor
• Being fair
• Being prepared
• Being inspiring and motivational
• Being professional
• Using stories – stories create emotional connections with your athletes
Keep athletes coming back!
Sounds simple right? Your coaching style and approach to teaching can help retain athletes in your programs and encourage others to join. Here are some tips on how to keep athletes coming back based on this month-long series of coaching tips:
• Care – no one cares what you know, until they know that you care
• Positive atmosphere – create it and maintain it
• Empower your athletes
• Adapt your coaching style to meet your athletes’ needs
• Set goals for both the team and individuals within the team
• Catch your athletes doing things right and be quick to praise them for it
• Preserve your athletes’ dignity
• Model, monitor and encourage respect
• Show your athletes that you possess something special; inspire them to learn from you!
Did you miss a part of this great series? Check them out here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and the PDF version of Part 4